KARACHI: Among 237 graveyards in the city, the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) has lost control of some 224 cemeteries over the years to “self-proclaimed administrators, land mafias and encroachers” prompting the civic administration to propose a ban on further burials in city graveyards and making six new ones along three major highways, officials and sources have said.

The growing control of ‘mafias’ on the city graveyards was not only a nuisance for Karachiites, but it had also led to encroachments and illegal plotting, better known as ‘China-cutting’, said an official.

Referring to the recently-compiled data, the minister for local bodies had also hinted at setting up new graveyards on the outskirts of Karachi and proposing a ban on burials within the city.

“There are a total of 237 graveyards in the city,” said an official. “But unfortunately the KMC right now has control of only 13 of them. Others have been controlled and managed by different groups and individuals. The fact is that there is hardly any space available in any of the graveyards in the city. The situation is being exploited by the people or the groups controlling the graveyards. In many cases we have also witnessed illegal activities in the graveyards. Some parts of them have been sold for different reasons, including residential constructions.”

With least focus of the law-enforcement agencies and deteriorating situation at most graveyards, the burial grounds were fast becoming safe havens for drug traffickers and criminals, he added.

Senior KMC director of municipal services Masood Alam replied in the affirmative when he was asked whether more than 200 graveyards were now controlled by different individuals or groups.

He said a proposal was also being considered to set up some six new graveyards on the city outskirts along the highways to cope with the requirements as the city graveyards had no more space for burials.

Almost same thoughts were shared by Sindh Local Bodies Minister Jam Khan Shoro recently when he visited the city graveyards to review the Shab-i-Baraat arrangements.

“Six major sites have been identified along the Super Highway, the National Highway and the RCD Highway,” said Masood Alam.

“Each graveyard could cater to two districts of the city. The graveyards are proposed on large pieces of land to meet the needs of the city like Karachi.”

Another official at the KMC referred to the recently-approved project in Punjab where Provincial Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif had given a nod earlier this month to establish the Model Graveyard Authority under the provincial government’s Shehr-i-Khamsohan project to develop and oversee affairs of the model graveyards across the province.

It had been recommended to the chief minister that an authority was set up to oversee affairs of the model graveyards.

He said the presence of an authority would ensure consistency in affairs of graveyards across the province.

“We have learnt about the Shehr-i-Khamoshan project launched last year in Punjab in view of the dismal condition of graveyards in the province,” he said.

“These model graveyards would have all burial-related facilities. The same kind of project should be envisaged at least for Karachi as well.”

Published in Dawn, June 7th, 2016